Hey! I share an office with two other people on the same team as me, which works really well. I tend to come in between 9am-6pm on weekdays and sometimes come in at the weekend as well. I don't work very well from home even though I have a separate study- I like being in my office and having all my things around me! KB

Hey DX! When I first started my PhD (Psychology) I was expected to start teaching straight away- I only had to do 2-3 hours per week, but by the time you had prepared for it and factored in the marking, it was a lot more than that. In my first year PhD I was running seminars with another PhD student for second year undergrads, and in my second year PhD I was teaching assistant for my supervisor's third year undergraduate module. I was also supervising MSc projects in my second year PhD. I should have been teaching again this year but my supervisor asked that I was let off on health grounds, as my health is quite variable and she wanted me to concentrate on my PhD. So you might be asked to teach straight away, and in my case I wasn't given any choice in what I was teaching. Sometimes it was a bit of a pain, but I am glad that I have teaching experience under my belt because it might help with job applications later on. Not all studentships/scholarships will require you to do teaching duties, so you'll need to make enquiries if you're not sure. Best, KB

Hey Sally! I would definitely give him the note, or if you are worried about giving it to him perhaps you could speak to your PhD chairperson or director of PhD studies? I have bipolar and my supervisors (and chairperson) are both aware of it- I find it helps if I'm not very well to be able to just let them know things are a bit difficult so that they are aware that I might not be working as quickly or to the same standard as normal. It does take the pressure off a bit, because I'm always so conscientious that I beat myself up a lot if I get it into my head that my supervisors think my work isn't as good as normal etc. Personally, even if I'm not good I still go into work but if I'm not up to writing or testing then I do something that requires less thought, such as entering data, filing, photocopying, updating my references in endnote...you get the drift. I suppose I'm lucky on one hand because I'm doing a PhD in clinical psychology, so at least my sups know what bipolar is and what sort of problems it might cause, but most people these days should be a bit more informed about depression than in years gone by. If it really is awkward then perhaps just send an email explaining. Hope you sort it out and are getting help. Best, KB

Thanks all, seems my situation is pretty common! It's not really causing arguments or anything, it's just getting on my nerves as he keeps bringing it up and it goes from one extreme to the other. He goes from being very confident about his abilities (some might say arrogant, but it really is just that he can be quite self-assured) to telling me how I'll be the main earner in the relationship because he won't ever get a decent job (no pressure!).

We've also started bike riding together recently (his idea, but I'm really enjoying it!), and I think he's feeling a bit inferior/embarrassed because he's really not very fit and I exercise every day, so I can go a lot faster and cycle up hills where he has to get off his bike and push! Again, I try to go slowly so he can keep up, and encourage him etc, but I think he finds it hard to take. I think his confidence has taken a knock, and I feel a bit guilty for being responsible for it. Will have to try and find something that he is better at (pool might be a good one) and allow myself to be thrashed on a weekly basis to see if that helps! He really can be quite competitive about everything and I can't be bothered- I just find competitiveness stressful and unnecessary most of the time!

Cheers, KB

Hey Zakbrown! It sounds like the two funded positions you have applied for are advertised positions. Have you thought about designing your own project then looking for funding to do it? You could contact an academic at a suitable (nearby!) uni with an idea of what you want to do, and see if they would be interested in supervising the project that you propose. If so, you could go ahead and apply for funding with that supervisor on board, and if you get funding it's yours- you wouldn't have to compete with others for it. That's the way I found funding for my PhD- I told my MSc supervisor I was interested in a PhD, came up with a proposal (with a bit of support from her) and then applied for funding. In the end I had two offers for funding for the project! It might be worth thinking about whether that would be an option. Best, KB

I have a fab boyfriend, but he seems to have a problem with what I'm doing, or what he's doing, I'm not sure which. At the moment, despite having a masters in business, he doesn't have a permanent job and is doing mainly care work. Neither of us are disputing the fact that this is a valuable job to be doing- just that he is hoping to find something to better suit his qualifications and desires. He keeps telling me how clever he is, and I'm not sure whether this is just because he is a bit insecure or something, because the next day he's telling me how he knows that I'm 'the clever one', not him. I never instigate these conversations because it really isn't important to me anyway, but he keeps bringing it up.

A while back he challenged me to an online IQ test- I really didn't want to but he insisted so we both did a couple of IQ tests and I 'beat' him by about 45 points both times. Now he keeps bringing this up, either telling me that IQ tests aren't at all reliable and I fluked my score, or that he's actually more clever than me at other things, or that he accepts that he's the 'thick' one after all. It's really beginning to grate on my nerves a bit but I don't know what to do or say....I try to reassure him and boost his confidence because I know he's upset that he can't find a job that he wants but it doesn't seem to make much difference. The silly thing is, when I finish my PhD I'll probably be in exactly the same boat as him anyway!

Does anyone else have this issue with their other half? Any ideas on what to do or say?
Thanks, KB

Hey! Well I'm trying to stay in the same department for a post-doc and have a few applications in for funding, but am also exploring other options in case the funding doesn't work out (and I'm not optimistic that it will in the current climate!). I'm just getting started on my first job application at the moment. I originally emailed about the job (a research fellowship) to ask if you could apply if you hadn't finished your PhD and was told I couldn't, but then the same doc emailed me back yesterday and said that they had changed their minds and I was now welcome to apply, but I only have a few days now until the closing date. I was just going to put my PhD down as current employment. I don't think I've got the slightest chance of getting this job but I think it's time I learned how to fill in an application form! Good luck! KB

Fantastic news Pineapple- you deserve all the luck in the world after the rollercoster you've been on these last few months. Really hope we can help you celebrate in a month or two's time! Best wishes, KB

Hey Keyz! A masters is important or essential in some subjects- in my subject (clinical psychology) is essential to obtain an MSc prior to starting a PhD, and I would have found the jump from BSc to PhD extremely challenging without the MSc. It does also help to focus your interests. However, many people in other subjects are not required to have a masters (I know it is less of a requirement in the pure sciences, for example), and if you have an offer of full funding which is not dependent on completing a masters first, then your subject is obviously one of those where it is not a requirement. Even though your focus on a very specific topic in your PhD, that does not narrow your entire career down to that topic- the research skills you learn will be transferable, and you will be able to switch topic some time after your PhD if that's what you want to do. It's really hard to get an offer of full funding for a PhD at the moment, so I would not throw away the option lightly- you may be kicking yourself in a year's time if you defer and are not then able to win funding for the project when it sounds like you don't really need the masters anyway. Personally I have found that my topic has become more and more interesting as I have gone along, but it can be hard to tell right at the beginning how 'into' it you are going to get. If you are pretty keen on the topic already then it's probably a good sign. Good luck with your decision, whichever one you make! KB

Hey! I've done my BSc, MSc, and have almost finished my PhD at the same university. I have had the same supervisor for my MSc and PhD, which is pretty common in our department. I certainly don't regret it- at the end of the day you should be somewhere you are happy, where you know you will have good supervision (with supervisors who are reknowned for their work), and preferably in a reputable department that will support you and offer you opportunities to develop as a researcher. I did of course ask the question of whether it would look better to move, but I could only possibly move to a place where I wouldn't have all of those things to the extent that I do here, i.e. I am in the best place and working with the best people to do my research. If that applies to you then I think you would be silly to move! I did actually ask a few members of the department (staff) whether it would affect their decisions regarding who to employ as a post-doc, and all of them said it wouldn't remotely bother them if a person had remained at the same uni if it was a good one, and a few actually said that it looks really good, because your sup obviously knows you and has worked hard to find the funding to keep you on, meaning that you must be worth hanging on to! I am also even looking at doing a post-doc here- again simply because it is the best place in the UK to do it- you will build up your reputation by your academic record (in my subject- publications, conference presentations, who your supervisors are, how good the department are rated on research output etc etc - might be different priorities for history though, I'm not sure!) so wherever supports those activities best is the right place to be! Good luck with it all, KB

Hey Edi! I've written a few research papers and present at a few conferences- I'm going to hazard a guess that it depends a little on what discipline you are in, but for mine (clinical psychology) the conference presentation will roughly follow the structure of the research paper. You will usually have about 20 minutes to present. If you are presenting in a symposium- where several of you are presenting together in a group- like Olivia describes- then you need to check with the others how long you will each have. If you are presenting alone then check the conference guidelines for how long you have. The general rule is that a slide per minute is about right in terms of speed of presenting, but that can be a bit flexible.

Normally you would begin with an introduction, where you can give the background to to your project, and a very quick summary of your lit review, which should lead to your research question(s). So a very brief version of a research paper intro. In a presentation you might choose to focus just on one research question, rather than the several that you might focus on in your written paper, just because you won't have very long to present loads and loads of results and analyses. This might take a few slides.

Then you would briefly present your method, which should usually only take 1-2 slides.

Then your results (with tables/figures), which might take several slides depending on what type if analysis you've done and what type of figures you need to present.

Then conclusions (possibly including a slide for limitations), which should again only take maybe a couple of slides.

Finally a summary (1 slide) and references. Some people also include a slide at the beginning with the layout of the presentation, but if you're following the usual style and it's pretty clear then there isn't always a need for this.

And of course, at the end you can ask if there are any questions, although the chair person will probably do that for you!

Good luck with it!
KB

Hey Pink! Yeah, not too bad thanks, the results papers are getting there slowly, although I'm trying not to think about them over the Easter week! Got another paper accepted for publication last week, so that's given me a bit of a boost on what seems to be a long and slightly tiresome journey! Two of the other three results papers are nearly done but one is proving difficult as the results are so contrary to expectations and I cannot dream up an explanation for them as yet. Things are a bit better with my sup now, so that's making things a bit less stressful too, although all of that can change at the drop of a hat! You got much left to do? Must be strange coming back to it after a few weeks off- it sounds like you've gone from one stressful situation to another, although I'm sure everything happening in Japan has put things into perspective regarding the PhD. It did for me, and I have no connection to Japan at all. Best wishes, KB

Hey Pink- really pleased to hear that things are okay at your end, it must have been such a horrible time for you. Glad the uni have been understanding and that you are now able to get back into the swing of things again. Best wishes, KB

Hey there! I think opinion will be divided on this one. I have done my BSc, MSc, and PhD at the same university, and am applying for a post-doc here as well. This is for a number of reasons- fantastic department and supervisors, great part of the UK to live in (really good for outdoor sports which my fiance and I love), near to family and friends for both of us, and also the fact that my fiance wants to apply for a PGCE here to start next year. Since we're planning to live together from Sept onwards, I could do with a post-doc at the same university. Some people will argue that it is bad for your career, but then if you are already in a good department with good, well-reknowned and supportive sups, then you are likely to be successful in terms of publications, networking, building up your profile etc, although of course you would miss out on opportunities that moving to a new uni would provide you with. I think you just need to decide what your priorities are. For me, in a way it's simple- putting all of these factors aside, I am still in the best university in the UK and probably in Europe to do my research. Secondly, whilst I want a successful career in research, my hobbies and family and the happiness of my fiance are key factors that affect my well-being, so I am prepared to factor those into the equation when deciding whether to move on or not. If you are at a good university and feel that you would do well out of a post-doc there then I don't see any reason why you shouldn't stay. If there are better opportunities career-wise elsewhere then maybe have a look around and see what's available. Personally, I would put your happiness first, and if you are prepared to move away for the next post-doc then great- I don't think you will do yourself any harm by staying where you are for one for now. I am prepared to move away in the future but right now all of my priorities are met by where I am already! Do what feels right! Best, KB

Hey! I would definitely go with the supervisor! I left a top uni to study at a middle-of-the-road uni, but the specific department I'm in is reknowned as one of the best in the UK (top 2) and Europe (top 3) for its research output. My supervisors have actually moved from 'better' universities (UCL and Cambridge) to be a part of this department, and are world-reknowned for their work. I'm thrilled to be working with them and I know that the opportunities I have been provided with and the names of my supervisors will benefit me far more than if I had gone to a better uni but had a relatively unknown supervisor who would have been unable to support me and provide me with the same opportunities. A lot of people (friends and family) questioned my decision to move from a top UK uni to one which is literally about halfway down the league table overall, but it has been the best decision I have ever made. Of course, if you can have both, then great- but I would go off the reputation of the department and your supervisors over the name of the university any day. The key to a smooth PhD is good supervision, although I'm not saying that people who are very well-reknowned in their subject are necessarily easy to work with- but that's another story! Best, KB